Awning-operating mechanism



Nov. 23 1926. 1,607,638

I M. A. MINTZ AWNING OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 13, 1923 2 Sheets-Shem 1 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Nov. 23 ,'1926. 1,607,638

. M. A. MINTZ AWNING OPERATING MECHANI SM IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYJ' Patented Nov. 23, 1926 UNITED STATES seem oer-ice.

MAX A. MINTZ, or CLEVELAND, oriro, Assre'non. no cure amass dismisses-me ooMrANY, OF CLEVELAND, 01:10, A conroiaseiroiv as OHIO.

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Application filed September 13, 1923. Eerial No. 662,481.

This invention relates to an awning operating mechanism. More particularly ait comprises a gear box having an automatic locking device.

Gear boxes for awning operating mechanism have been heretofore provided with locks of various types, but in many instances, numerous and relatively heavy parts have been employed for lockin'g'purposes and said parts have not been disposed in such relati'o'n'to each other as to be readily accessible for adjustment and repair. Such devices have not infrequently included a locking device subject to a large amount of wear and requiring specially formed means for operating the same.

The object of the present invention is to simplify the construction of automatically lockedg-ear boxes of this type. Another object is to provide a locking device having four different locking positions for each revolution of the gear wheels in order that an awning may be locked in substantially its full raised position. A further object is to provide a locking plunger within the hub portion of one of the beveled gear wheels adapted to be. unlocked by means of a rounded nose on the end of the crank pin. Other objects will appear in the course of the following description. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related'ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

in said annexed drawing:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the awning operating mechanism comprising the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure?) is a front elevation of the apparatus. with the cover section removed; 7

"Figuret'is a central vertical section taken alongtheline -i shown in Figure 1 lookingin 'th'ejd'irection of the arrows;

Figure is a sectional detailed view taken sion, 9, of a second beveled gear, 11. last mentioned hub extension :is .provided Figure 8 is an end elevation of .the supporting spider;

Figure 9 is a side elevation 'ona greatly reduced scale :of' the crank utilized for .opcrating the apparatus.

The device illustrated -in the drawings comprisesa casing", 1, having aiianged lower portion, .2, with extensions, 3, at its upper and lower edges for securing the same to the front of. a building, an-d acover-iportion 4. Said cover isprovided centrally at its outereside with a bearing, .5,.for'the hub extension, 6, of the beveledgear, 7, adapted to be housed immediately withinsaid cover section. The .meeting edges of the (cover and hase portion of the housing are provided with a bearingyfii, for the hub exten- Said with asquared shank, 12,. adaptedito engage the sleeve, 13, of a driving shaft .of the awnmg apparatus. VVithinisai-d hub extension and said squared shank an internal chamber or housing, :14i,.for a locking-plunger, .15, is provided. Said housing includes .a squared opening, 16, through which said plunger is adapted to reciprocate. Within the. upper end of said housing a spring receivingchanihen-17, is provided, said; ring, 10,.abut'ting thenupper end of said chamber which is provided centrally with a circularaperture, 18, to receive the small extension end,li19, of said plunger. Immediately beneath saidextension end the plunger-is prwidedovith squared locking section, 21, and adjacent thereto with a cylindrical section, 22, terminating in an enlarged fiangaQS, which limits thereciprocation'of the plunger in each direction. immediately beneath the enlarged-flange the plunger is provided witl a squared body portion, 24, having a bevel d point, 25.

The ineeting edges. of the bottomiportion of the housing and the cover section thereof sad ' said sides and notches.

Said spider is provided with a pair of journals, 31, 32, mounted at right angles to each other, one of said journals being adapt ed to receive a hub extension formed upon the first of said beveled gears above described and the other of said journals providing an extension flange, 33, over which the second of said gears, above described, is adapted to have rotatable engagement when said beveled gears are positioned in operative relation to each other. Immediately adjacent to the last journal there is provided a squared aperture, 84, in said spider.

Said aperture is adapted to receive the squared main body section, 24, of the plunger. The circular flange, 23, upon the plunger is adapted to bear against the bottom of a counter-bored portion, 35, of said spider within the extension flange of said journal, when the plunger is in its uppermost position, at which time the squared locking section of the plunger will be held in the same plane as the squared portion of the housing Within the hub extension oi the first mentioned beveled gear. Thus, the two squared portions of the plunger will serve to key all of said parts together and hold the same against rotation.

The second beveled gear is provided with a hollow hub section, 36, of square crosssection at its -outer end, 37, to receive the squared section, 41, of a crank, 42, for operating the device. The inner portion, 48, of said hollow hub is of smaller diameter than the outer portion and is adapted to receive a pin extension, 44, upon the crank arm, said pin extension having a beveled end 45, to engage the lower end of said plunger and force the same upwardly against the pressure of its coiled spring. lVhen so elevated the locking section of the plunger is moved upwardly out of alignment with the squared portion of the chamber within the first mentioned beveled gear wheel into an enlarged recess which thus permits the :tree turning of said beveled gear and its associated mechanism.

It will be noted that by utilizing a plunger, having a squared locking section, there are four positions in which the gears may be locked during a single rotation of the parts, and thus when an awning is raised it may be locked in fully elevated position.

The lower section of the casing is provided with enlargements, 51, at opposite corners of its upper side and centrally of its lower side and said cover is provided with projecting lugs, 52, at points in registry with said enlargements, said lugs being apertured and enlargements being screw-threaded to receive locking screws 53 to hold the parts in engagement. The enlargement and lug on the lower side are each cut away on their adjacent faces to provide seats 54 and 55, respectively, to receive a projecting car 56 on the lower extension of the spider which is apertured to permit the passage of the holding screw therethrough. Thus said lower screw serves to hold the two sections of the casing in engagement and at the same time to engage and firmly hold the spider in position.

The operation of the device has already been indicated, but it should be pointed out that the mechanism of the gear box is of simple and durable construction and that all the parts are 'eadily accessible and separable from each other upon unfastening the cover from the bottom section. No specially shaped parts are required to unlock the device, the pin extension of the crank armbeing a beveled end cylindrical pin not in any way subject to injury through careless handling.

At the base of the casing adjacent the cen tral enlargement and its companion lug there are provided two drain holes 57, which prevent the accumulation of water within the casing. A closure plate (not shown) of thin sheet metal may be applied to the ldl ward face of the casing when the same is not applied to a wooden structure which in itself serves as an adequate closure.

Other modes of applying the principle ct my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by the tollowing claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and dis-- tinctly claim as my invention 1. An a vning raising mechanism compr|s ing a drive gear with an opening therethrough and a driven gear, said driven provided with a shank having an openi g theretlnough, the opening adjacent the end being squared, a detent within said opening provided with a squared portion adapt ed to engage with said squared opening in the driven gear, resilient means within the opening for holding said detent in locked position, and a crank adapted to engage the drive gear provided with means for raising said detent to unlock said driven gear.

2. An awning raising mechanism comprising a drive gear with an opening therethrough and a driven gear, said driven gear provided with a shank having an opening therethrough, the opening adjacent the gear end being squared, a detent within said opening provided With a squared portion adapted to en age with said squared opening in the driven gear, a further member on said detent adapted to be so engaged as to maintain the squared portion Within said squared opening, resilient means Within the opening for holding said'detent in locked position, and a crank adapted to engage the drive gear provided with means for raising said detent to unlock said driven gear. 10

Signed by me this 8th day of September 1928.

MAX A. MINTZ. 

